Ingredients

Method

Mix the flour and spices in a large bowl, and rub in the butter to make a crumbly breadcrumb mixture.

Cream in the sugar with the back of a spoon (I have no idea whether it makes any difference, but for what it’s worth, I use a wooden spoon).

When the mixture is completely uniform, make a well and crack in the egg. Add the syrup and vanilla paste, beat liquids together, and then gradually blend in all the of the powder to form a dark, crumbly mixture.

This will probably look far too crumbly, but do not be tempted to add liquid; instead, knead the mixture for a few minutes and it should come out perfect. Roll it out on a floured surface, to a thickness of around 5-6mm, and cut into shapes.

(Look away now if you don’t enjoy being patronised, as I’ll risk stating the obvious for those who have never baked before: the mixture left over when you’ve cut out some shapes can be squished up into a ball and re-rolled, so you don’t need to waste any!)

Arrange them all on a greased tray, leaving a bit of a gap between them, as they will expand while baking. Bung them in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes if you like crunchy biscuits, or 7 minutes for more bready gingerbread.

If the purpose of your baking is to entertain infants, they can decorate the biscuits with icing too.